ST. PAUL, Minn. – Creatures large and small in Minnesota are featured in a report from the National Wildlife Federation, which examines how deer, birds and other species are being impacted by a changing climate.
The report’s author, NWF Senior Scientist Amanda Staudt, says the underlying climatic conditions to which species were accustomed for thousands of years are changing.
"We are seeing and feeling the effects of climate change in our own backyards,” she says. “On our farms, in our forests, along the seaboards – right now. And for wildlife, it's about the impacts that we're seeing now, not something far away or far in the future."
Minnesota is mentioned specifically in the report when it comes to fish kills, from the combination of heat and drought. Climate change is also cited as a factor for the state's plummeting moose population.
While there is plenty of bad news in the study, Staudt says there's good news, too, and recommendations for solutions.
"We need to take steps to slow our emissions of carbon pollution,” she says. “And we need to take steps to help wildlife prepare for and deal with the types of changes that we're not going to be able to avoid."
get more stories like this via email
By Hunter Fore for Cronkite News.
Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration
On an overcast November morning, volunteers got to work to restore local river flow.
Drought and decreasing water availability have been ongoing problems throughout Arizona. In Tucson, drought along with new land developments are causing decreases in vegetation and wildlife habitat.
Watershed Management Group is a Tucson-based nonprofit that aims to fix this problem. The group aids in local water conservation, land restoration and river flow. It holds regular events to help the environment such as cleanups, workshops, fundraisers and classes. The group has a club called the River Run Network, which includes a biweekly email with invitations to events like creek walks and family education days to help restore Tucson's heritage of flowing rivers.
Watershed Management Group worked to remove an invasive plant from a riparian area in the Tanque Verde community of Tucson on Nov. 18.
The species of grass Arundo donax, more commonly known as "giant reed," is an invasive species in Tucson's riparian ecosystem, the wetland area between a body of water and land. Invasive species in those areas are harmful to the ecosystem, wildlife and the city's groundwater supply.
"Arundo is one of the invasive species that we focus on removing," said Hannah Nuest, a program coordinator for the River Run Network. "It sucks up to three to four times the amount of water that native plants do, which affects groundwater levels and river flow."
Tucson's drinking water comes mostly from the Colorado River, which is experiencing decreasing water levels, and from groundwater. But those underground aquifers are fed with water from natural areas like riparian preserves, and invasive species like arundo compete for that water, cutting into Tucson's water supply
"Invasive species also cause problems for tree canopy coverage," Nuest said. "Trees like the cottonwood and the mesquite need water closer to the surface, so when that water's being used up, the number of trees can decrease, causing habitat loss, less shade, more pollutants and hotter temperatures."
Arundo removal also helps the local ecosystem with flood risk reduction, water quality improvement and increased river flow.
"Arundo comes from the Mediterranean and was brought to the Tucson area around the early 19th century for landscaping," said Jim Washburne, Watershed Management Group's senior project specialist.
When arundo grass is present, nutrients that usually travel downstream are blocked. This prevents other plants from growing along waterways, which increases flood risks and decreases habitat potential.
Complete removal of every arundo plant would be nearly impossible, but removing even a small amount is good for the ecosystem, Washburne said.
"We typically do this every week in Tanque Verde," Washburne said. "This is our most consistent environmental event. It's important for the community to get involved in taking care of the land they live on."
According to Tucson's One Water 2100 Plan, which is a new city plan to improve water delivery methods, riparian preserve restoration not only increases local tree canopy coverage but helps the local economy by helping with cooler temperatures, more trees and more diverse water delivery options.
"Riparian areas are integral to the health of Tucson's water supply and economy," Washburne said.
Hunter Fore wrote this article for Cronkite News.
get more stories like this via email
Recent extreme wildfires in Wyoming burned nearly 500,000 acres and among those recovering are ranchers and their surviving livestock.
Wildfires burned through large swaths of ranch lands in northern Wyoming and southern Montana last month, including the House Draw Fire, which blazed across nearly 175,000 acres in Johnson and Campbell counties. No homes or human lives were lost, but important ranching resources were, such as hundreds of miles of fencing, winter forage and summer grazing grounds.
Micah Most, agriculture and natural resources educator for the University of Wyoming Extension, said livestock deaths are hard to tally, but the injuries are apparent.
"We're seeing a lot of cattle with injured feet, burned feet, from walking through or over the hot ground as they were escaping," Most pointed out. "A lot of stress just generally on those animals."
Most emphasized the outpouring of support from people in Wyoming and beyond has been "deeply meaningful." The office is coordinating hay donations, locals are helping with livestock relocation and a community network is hosting a drive for fencing supplies. Financial donations can be made to Wyoming Rancher Fire Relief and elsewhere.
Most explained some injured animals may need to be culled from the herd and sold at a discounted price. Extension offices across the state have been revisiting their emergency preparedness and response materials to help people and ranchers deal with increasingly extreme weather events.
"Finding ways to kind of harden your home area, maybe the home ranch place, and limit some of the risk factors," Most stressed.
The fires also burned through important habitat for pronghorn, mule deer and breeding grounds important to the greater sage grouse.
get more stories like this via email
Environmental leaders are set to gather in Durham to address how climate change is impacting human health and well-being.
Emily Wolfe, health manager for CleanAIRE NC, said the cascading effects of climate change are clear. The ninth annual NC BREATHE Conference aims to connect climate leaders and environmental health professionals to address challenges.
"We'll be talking about policy and policy change as it relates to environmental impacts on human health and well-being and community health," Wolfe outlined. "We'll be talking about specific pollutants and connections to human health and well-being."
Wolfe pointed out the conference will cover topics from air quality to heat exposure. Keynote speaker Harold Mitchell will share his personal experience transitioning from an environmental health victim to an advocate for policy change. The conference will take place on Oct. 1-2 at the JB Duke Hotel.
According to the World Health Organization, climate change affects health in various ways, from illness to extreme weather to food system disruptions.
Jeff Robbins, executive director of CleanAIRE NC, said while much focus is on resolving the root causes of the issues, the mental toll of environmental crises is often overlooked. He emphasized a key goal of the conference is to address stressors.
"One of the things that we really wanted to explore this year is the mental health aspects of the environmental impacts on folks," Robbins explained. "This is new for us this year in terms of how do we explore that, how do we start to identify some of those issues, and then how does that then inform what we do going forward."
Another major topic is PFAS, harmful chemicals linked to cancer and immune-system damage. While PFAS contamination in water is well known, Robbins stressed new research will shed light on how the chemicals affect the environment in other ways.
"This research is kind of going to shed some light on what are the findings and some of the issues relative to airborne PFAS," Robbins added.
Organizers hope the conference fosters collaboration and generates actionable ideas to protect communities from the growing threats of pollution and climate change.
get more stories like this via email
Contact
